The competition targets teams of three full time student chefs studying hospitality or catering college courses and requires the preparation, cooking and presentation of a three-course, two-cover menu.

The paper judging deadline for entries is 4th December 2015, with the final taking place at Hotelympia in the first week of March 2016. Regional heat dates and locations will be announced soon.

For the 2015/16 Challenge, competing teams are asked to go ‘Freestyle’ by presenting a menu that embraces the modern trend for clean, well portioned and precisely executed cooking.

Dishes should be stylish, beautifully presented and demonstrate great technique as well as being packed full of clearly defined aromas, textures and flavours designed to complement rather than overcomplicate.

Menus must be produced using a maximum of £8 worth of ingredients per cover and should be balanced with the three courses working well together. Teams are encouraged to use local and regional ingredients so that our judges get a real flavour of the UK’s regional food diversity and excellence.